Saint-Sever

This was a quiet and normal day until we arrived at Saint Sever. We walked 21 kms, first in the fog for an hour or 2, and then through the countryside- pretty but not spectacular, lots of corn, some pine plantations, we didn’t see poultry farms that had been mentioned…and on arrival here we first walked along the Adour river, very pretty lined with plain trees and then you climb up to this town which is high up above the river.

We stopped for a drink on the way up, and easily found our charming chambres d’hôtes, and a very nice room, bags here. We knew there was something afoot, and we heard there was a fête of some sort, but our hostess told us it was a bullfight…it was such a new and unexpected experience, and we decided we should take the opportunity…she said it was a great atmosphere, even though they kill the bulls…anyway, we decided to go! On the way we visited the world heritage church and cloisters, very beautiful.

And it was rather ghastly, but so weird, and I have to admit that by the end I was a bit hardened to the whole spectacle…it is theatre, and a bit hair raising. And something neither would have imagined in a small French town! Everyone was there - the elderly and infirm, children and all in between. There was a band playing um-pah-pah music with people clapping in time etc…anyway, an unusual day!

Now off to dinner. ….back from dinner, and it was wonderful, as usual. We are not the only people staying here, but the only ones having dinner…and we were served first a chestnut soup with foie gras, then eggplant rounds surrounding an œuf parfait (which I had had before and thought it just meant a perfect egg, which it was)…but have found it is an egg cooked in its shell for an hour at exactly 65°, then gently tipped out of the shell…, then a Basque meat dish axoa de veau (that spelling is wrong, but it was a basque word with an x) with potatoes, and à tarte tartin…she said she loves cooking, and all the vegetables are from the garden. So now am going to bed very full…but very content! Just also have to mention that this house is sort of a museum…it was build in 1780, and all the furniture and decorations are old and beautiful. Amr particularly lusts after a beautiful Jordanian tapestry. Anyway, now off to bed.Read more